Imperial Princess
by booksandmusic19
Summary: 6 years after the fall of the Republic. The Emperor reigns over the galaxy with an iron fist. But what will happen when Darth Vader makes a visit to the peaceful planet of Alderaan? What he finds there may change the galaxy. Rated T for paranoia.
1. Chapter 1

**All right. Here's another story :) I've got 11 chapters done on this, and I'm continuing writing all of my stories. Enjoy! Note: This takes place 6 years after Order 66, but Darth Vader never fell into the lava on Mustafar; Obi-Wan never confronted him. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. Nuff said. **

Darth Vader strode onto the bridge of the _Avenger_, his face hidden beneath the hood of his dark cloak. Admiral Kieran Sarn saluted him, swallowing the lump that was in his throat. "What have you found?" the Sith asked him. Sarn began to think that perhaps he should not have alerted Vader until he was absolutely sure. It was too late, however. "Ah, yes, my lord. We have found evidence that parts of the Rebellion may be on Alderaan. As you know, the Prince Consort, Bail Organa, was part of the Delegation of the Tw– " "Yes, I know who Organa is, Admiral Sarn. Is there evidence?" Lord Vader was getting impatient.

The lump resurfaced. Sarn swallowed once more, trying to convince himself that what he had _was_ evidence. "We have transmissions from an unmarked ship to the palace. They are about the Empire." Vader allowed himself a smile. Finally, he could bring down Organa, one of the main leaders of the Alliance. "Very well, Admiral. Set your course for Alderaan." The admiral saluted him once more, and then turned to the navigation officer. Vader strode down the bridge, his cape billowing out from behind him.

* * *

"Fourty-nine, fifty! Ready or not, here I come!" Six-year-old Princess Leia Organa ran out from behind the columns in search of her best friend and adoptive cousin, Mara Jade. "I know you're here somewhere!" A giggle echoed through the hall, and Leia ran after the sound, turning into the large garden outside the palace. She looked around for a moment, and then ran behind a bush. Her cousin was crouched there, and pouted momentarily when Leia shouted, "Found you!" Mara giggled and said, "You have to tag me first!" and ran back into the palace. Leia chased her best friend through the building, before she passed Captain Kolbrun, her father's chief of security. She skidded to a halt, wanting to know what was going on. Kolbrun seemed to know what she was thinking, because he said, "It's none of your concern, Princess. Why don't you go back to your room?" He indicated for one of his men to take the two girls back to their rooms, and then entered the Prince Consort's office.

Senator Organa was not openly against the Republic, as were so many senators these days. He preferred to operate in secrecy, while openly accepting Palpatine's rule. But he knew the risks associated with it; it would be considered treason. So when Captain Kolbrun walked into his office with a grim look on his face, Bail could only guess that the Empire was involved. The first words out of his friend's mouth confirmed it as well: "Vader is coming here. They are suspicious of us, finally." Bail was not surprised. He did, however, fear the fact that Vader himself was arriving on Alderaan. The Prince Consort did not want the Sith finding out that Leia was his daughter. That could spell the end for Leia.

"When will he be arriving?" Bail asked. "Sometime this afternoon, at around 1500. Our spy on the _Avenger_ tells me they have already made the jump to hyperspace." Bail sighed. "I'll have to tell Breha." Kolbrun nodded and turned to leave. "Jaran," he said, calling Kolbrun by his first name. "Could you please watch Leia and Mara? I don't want Vader getting close to them." Captain Kolbrun nodded. "Yes, sir."

The comm. screen in Darth Vader's meditation chamber blinked on. Admiral Sarn was on the bridge. "We've just come out of hyperspace, my lord. Shall I prepare your shuttle?" "Yes, Admiral. Organa will not escape our grip this time," Vader said. He would never admit it aloud, but he hated Organa not because of his association with the Rebellion. Certainly, that was bad. But the fact that Organa had been in contact with Padme at the time of her death was too much for Vader to bear. Had Organa possibly been even at Padme's deathbed?

The rage boiled in Vader's blood. Organa would pay dearly for his involvement in the Rebellion. The Sith exited his meditation chambers, putting his hood up as he walked down the corridor to his private hangar. Stormtroopers and officers alike quickened their pace as they walked past him, as they could tell he was not in a good mood.

Sarn was wating for him by the shuttle, and saluted when Vader walked in the hangar door. "My lord, a platoon of stormtroopers is already aboard. That should be enough, as Alderaan is peaceful." Vader nodded and strode up the ramp into the shuttle. He would have preferred to pilot it himself, but he knew a pilot would already be in the cockpit. He strapped himself into one of the seats in the main cabin, preparing for liftoff.

* * *

The flight was short, and it wasn't long before Vader felt the ship set down on the landing pad. He smiled to himself as he paced down the ramp and into the palace, followed by a squad of stormtroopers. Organa would not create an excuse for his precious Rebellion this time, he was sure of it. But when he walked into the conference room, he sensed that the Prince Consort and the Queen were expecting him. He had hoped to take them by surprise, but that was no matter. He could still force a confession out of them. "Queen Breha," he said, bowing nearly invisibly, "And Senator Organa."

The Queen stood up and said, "Lord Vader, I must say, this is a –" "Let us dispense with the pleasantries. You surely must know why I am here." Yes, they did, Vader sensed. But it seemed they had decided to feign innocence. "We are loyal to the Empire," Organa said. "We have given the Emperor no reason to mistrust us." Vader smirked beneath his hood. "You received transmissions from an unmarked ship. They were about the Empire's secret plans," he said, scanning their faces for a reaction. Organa's face remained impassive, however Breha's face had grown shocked for a moment. Did she not know? Or was she surprised the Empire had found out?

"We have received no transmissions, Lord Vader. If you wish, you may check our comm. log." Vader knew the transmission would have been cleared, so he stood up abruptly and said, "We will continue this tomorrow." Perhaps Organa would in some way implicate himself. The Queen and her husband stood as well, and Breha motioned for a servant to show the Sith to his chambers.

Mara and Leia had heard the ship arriving, and they wanted to see who the "mystery visitor" was. To be truthful, only Mara was interested in who it was. Leia was far too worried that it was the Empire. Even at six, she knew that the Emperor was not a good person. However, Leia wanted to make sure Mara didn't get into trouble, so she ended up tagging along. They were hiding behind the bushes next to the conference room when the two girls saw a dark-cloaked man walk in the door. Ten stormtroopers waited outside the door. Mara gasped. "It's the Empire!" she said, and Leia grew even more frightened. "Come on, Mara," she said, tugging at her cousin's sleeve. "Let's go! I don't want them to see us!" Mara shushed the girl, and pointed at the stormtroopers. "They'll see if we leave now," she said. "I don't care. I don't want to be here anymore," Leia whimpered.

She ran out from behind the bush just as the door opened. A servant led the dark-cloaked man down the hall, right towards her! Leia froze, not knowing what to do. The man walked down the hall, but stopped and looked right at Leia. She saw that his eyes were yellow, and she shrank back in fear. But there was something that made her curious. When she saw this man, she felt like she knew him from somewhere. But that was impossible, she thought. Daddy said I haven't been off the planet, and he's never come here before. "Leia!" said the servant, bringing the little girl back to the present. "I thought you were supposed to be in your room?" Leia looked down sheepishly and ran off to her room, Mara following close behind her.

The room Vader was to stay in was spacious, and satisfactory, but his mind wasn't on his chambers. It was on the girl he had encountered in the hallway. He had felt some kind of link with her, and she looked strangely like – NO. He would not think of Padme right now. She had died, and her child had died with her. The Emperor had told him as much.

But the girl's name was Leia, the name Padme would have given her child if it were a girl. Vader clenched his fists in anger. Organa had stolen his daughter's name from him. He vowed to find out what Organa was up to, once and for all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's Chapter 2! Oh, I forgot - PLEASE REVIEW!!! THEY MAKE MY DAY BRIGHTER!!!! sorry. scary author, done. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own Star Wars. :) **

Vader was in a towering rage. He knew there was no chance Organa would consciously betray the Rebellion. And there was no proof that the damned transmission was sinister in nature. But Vader knew Organa was one of the leaders; without proof, the public would protest. And then, suddenly, Darth Vader knew what to do.

His daughter. That was the key to keeping Alderaan in line. Vader would take their daughter as a hostage of sorts, to ensure the planet's loyalty to the rebellion. There was another motive for this as well, one that Vader was determined to find out. He wanted to know the true identity of the girl.

The Sith Lord unclipped his comlink from his belt, and waited for Admiral Sarn to answer. "Yes, my lord?" the admiral asked. Vader said, "I'll be aboard the _Avenger_ soon. Prepare for two prisoners." The admiral nodded, and Vader dissolved the communication, walking out the door and motioning for the stormtroopers to follow him.

He walked into Organa's office without knocking. Good. Both the senator and the Queen were there. Without preamble, Vader said, "Senator Organa. You have a daughter, do you not?" Organa's face went pale. "I – yes," he said, realizing that lying would be useless. Vader turned to the stormtrooper captain and said, "Bring the princess and her friend here." The stormtrooper saluted and left.

Breha rose. "Wait! You can't take them! They're only children." Vader stepped toward her. "You would prefer to give me the name of the planet on which the Rebellion is located?" Organa said, "We have nothing to do with the Rebel Alliance, I can assure you, Lord Vader."

"Be that as it may, I am taking your daughter and her friend aboard the _Avenger_ in order to ensure you will be loyal to the Empire. If you truly have no ties with the Rebellion, they will not be harmed. But if they do…" he left no guesses as to what would happen.

As he spoke, two girls were shoved into the room. They looked as though they had been woken up, and they looked absolutely terrified. Leia said, "Momma, what's happening?" and the other girl began to cry. Breha said, "It's all right, Mara, Leia. We'll get you out of this."

Vader turned around and strode out of the office and to his shuttle. The stormtroopers pushed Leia and – the other girl's name was Mara – in front of them, while Organa and the Queen hurried after them. "Please, you can't do this! Please!" Breha begged.

Vader turned around, holding his hand out in front of him. Bail felt a vice grip his neck, and then it stopped as Vader walked up the ramp into the ship. Both girls were sobbing by now, and they dug in their heels futilely as the troopers pushed them up the ramp. The door slid shut, hermetically sealing itself with a hiss. The girls' sobs became silent as they stood in the middle of the main cabin, looking fearfully around their surroundings.

Leia was terrified. She had been woken up by the soldiers and brought to her father's office. Then the soldiers had taken her away on a ship to who knew where, with the man, her father had called him Lord Vader. And now she was in the middle of a strange ship, surrounded by men with laser guns and quite possibly the scariest man she'd ever meet. Leia held tightly to Mara's hand, knowing full well her friend was equally scared.

The man motioned a droid forward, and it began floating towards Leia. Mara shouted, "No! Don't hurt her!" and ran forward. Leia wanted her friend to stop, because she knew Mara would get hurt too, but she couldn't seem to open her mouth. A stormtrooper pulled Mara back, and the droid floated closer. That was when she saw the needle protruding from the droid.

Leia didn't want to be injected with something – a med-droid had done it to her once, and she had been sick for a week. But suddenly the man – Lord Vader – was next to her, holding her arm out, and she couldn't move.

The droid floated closer.

There was a sudden prick, and the inside of the needle filled with her blood. The pain receded as quickly as it had come, but she suddenly started crying. "Wh – why did you do that?" she asked. "I had to take a sample of your blood," Lord Vader said.

Leia heard the landing gear of the shuttle deploy, and she knew that they had landed somewhere. Then the exit ramp started moving downwards, and Vader walked down it. The stormtroopers followed, pushing Mara and Leia to do the same.

Vader stopped when he got to the bottom, and turned to the stormtroopers leading Leia and her friend. He said, "Take them to one of the empty quarters. Lock the door and leave two of your men outside."

The stormtrooper saluted and walked in a different direction, dragging Leia and Mara with him. Leia tried to remember which direction he turned, so she could try to escape, but it didn't work. There were too many turns. Soon they came to a door, and one of the troopers opened it. Leia and Mara walked inside. The door shut behind them, locking with a _click_.

The room was spacious, but Leia still felt like she was in a cell. She didn't know what to do, so she sat down on one of the chairs and hugged her knees to her chest. Mara sat in a chair next to her, and eventually said, "How long do you think we'll be here?" Leia shrugged. "I don't know. Daddy wouldn't let him hurt us, would he?" she said, not quite believing it.

Vader seemed very powerful, and her father seemed afraid of him. She was too, but she still felt like she should have known him from somewhere. More than anything, she was afraid of that fact.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry this chapter's short, but I felt like it didn't fit in the other chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. Please don't sue. **

In his meditation chambers, Vader took out the vial full of Leia's blood and put it into the analyzer. He _had_ to know why he felt such a connection toward this child. The screen blinked, and a readout of the blood's information appeared. The midichlorian count was 14,500, higher than even most Jedi's at the time of the Republic. The Empire had mandated that all children with high midichlorian counts be tested. Evidently Organa thought himself above such laws.

Vader realized that Organa had a midichlorian count that was probably nowhere near that, and neither did the Queen. So who were the girl's birth parents? Vader sank into a meditation, turning over the thoughts in his mind.

_It was a white, clinical room. The lines of the sparse furniture and architecture were soft, curving. Padm_é_ was lying on something – it looked like an operating table. A medical droid was next to her, flashing readouts across its screen. _

_Padmé was crying out, her face a blur. Suddenly Obi-Wan was next to her, cradling a newborn baby. "It's a girl," he said. Padmé relaxed slightly, smiling. "Leia," she breathed._

Vader awoke with a start. Leia. So Padme _had_ had the baby after all. Was his wife alive as well? Or had the Emperor at least been truthful to that point? One thing Vader was sure of was that the little girl that was onboard was his daughter. He would not let Organa have her back. Leia had to know who her real father was, but Vader knew telling her now would only frighten her. He would have to wait. He turned on the HoloNet transceiver to the bridge's frequency. "Admiral Sarn," he said. The admiral turned and saluted. "Set your course for Imperial Center," he said. "Yes, Lord Vader," the admiral said, and ended the transmission.

Vader left his meditation chambers and walked down to where the girls were being held. The stormtroopers, who had evidently been talking before he arrived, stood abruptly at attention as he unlocked the door and went inside. His daughter was sitting in a chair, her arms around her knees, and her friend Mara was asleep in the other chair. Leia looked up quickly when he came in, and quickly turned away, a stony glare on her face. Even though she was only six, she carried herself with such importance that it reminded Vader of his wife.

He leaned toward her and said, "Don't worry, I won't hurt you." Leia looked puzzled. "Are you all right?" he asked. Leia shrugged. "I'm a little bit cold," she said, reminding Vader of his first time on a spaceship. He smiled gently, and it seemed to relax Leia. "Space is cold," he said, and reached over to put a blanket on his daughter. She smiled guardedly before closing her eyes. She fell asleep in a matter of minutes, and Vader leaned down to kiss her on the forehead before leaving the room.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. Please don't sue. **

Bail had not slept at all that night, for worrying about Leia and Mara. Mara's father, one of his friends, had been killed at the formation of the Empire, and Bail had promised him that he would protect Mara. Just as he had promised Obi-Wan he would protect Leia from Vader.

Now they were both in the Sith's hands, perhaps being tortured or even currently dead. Bail did not trust Vader to keep Leia and Mara alive simply because he had no evident ties to the Rebellion. And it was probably even more dangerous for Leia if Vader found out her true identity.

When he got up, he found that Breha was also awake, standing on the balcony overlooking the city. She turned to look at him. "We need to rescue Leia and Mara," she said. "I talked to Mon Mothma this morning, and she seems sympathetic." "I know, my dear, but how will we do that?" he said. "We have no weapons compared to the Empire, and they are most likely on their way to Coruscant by now, if they are still alive."

He immediately knew he should not have said those last words. Breha's eyes filled with tears. He turned back to their room and went to sit on the bed. The HoloNet transceiver beeped, indicating there was a message.

Bail pressed ACCEPT and waited for the speaker. It was Darth Vader, and for once his hood was down, revealing merciless yellow eyes. His daughter was asleep in a chair next to the Sith. Bail breathed a sigh of relief to see his daughter was still alive, but after taking a second look he saw that Mara was not there. "Senator Organa," he said. "As you can see, I have not hurt _your_ daughter yet." Bail did not miss the accent on _your_ that the Sith made, and instantly wondered if Mara was all right. "Let me talk to Leia," said Bail. "Very well," said Vader, and turned to shake the girl awake.

"Leia?" he said. "There's someone here who'd like to speak to you." Leia opened her eyes drowsily and her eyes met Bail's. "Daddy!" she cried, trying to run toward him. Vader held her back, however, and pushed her back into the chair. "Stay there," he ordered, before looking back at Bail. Bail said, "Leia? Are you all right?" Leia shrugged. "It's cold, and I miss you, Daddy." Bail said, "I miss you too, darling. But you'll be home soon." Leia smiled.

"Is Mara with you?" Bail asked, trying to be gentle in case she wasn't. Leia looked around, slowly at first then frantically when she saw the girl was not there. "She – she was," Leia said, and looked up at Vader. "Where's Mara?" she asked, fear in her eyes. She started to cry. "I want to see her!"

A vindictive smirk grew on Vader's face, and he called in a stormtrooper from the hall. "Bring Leia to her friend," he said. To Leia he said, "Don't worry, you'll see her soon enough." The stormtrooper grabbed Leia's arm, pulling her out of the chair too forcefully for Bail's liking. "Wait – No!" Bail said, not wanting Leia to see her friend's dead body, if that were the case.

Leia looked back, but the stormtrooper continued pulling her out of the room. Bail looked back at Vader, who said "The minute you have dealings with the Rebellion, I will know. And then…." The implication was clear. And it caused Bail to have a frightening thought: Breha had contacted Mon Mothma that morning. What if Mon Mothma was known to be a part of the Rebellion? Bail ended the transmission shakily, wondering if he'd ever see his daughter again.

* * *

Vader left the room Leia and Mara had been in. It had gone well, he thought. Bail must truly have thought that Mara was dead. Vader had sensed it even through the transmission. In reality, Leia's friend was simply in the adjoining room, looking at the starscape through the window. Leia looked up as Vader walked closer to them. "What's gonna happen to me now?" she asked. "Nothing," he said truthfully. "We're returning to Imperial Center."

"What about Mara?" she said. The girl in question looked nervous. "She will come with us as well." Leia yawned once more, and Vader remembered that he had woken her up. He picked her up – she cringed slightly away from him – and brought her to the room she was in earlier. He placed her down on the bed and covered her with a blanket before leaving the room. Once again, Vader locked it – this time as a precaution.

He decided he would tell Leia about her true parantage that day when she woke up once again. He didn't want to frighten her, but he knew he had to tell her at some point before they reached Imperial Center. He knew it would be futile to keep it from the Emperor as well, but he was completely against his master knowing that he had found Leia. That wasn't to say Leia would not be trained. However, she would not be trained in solely the dark or light side of the Force. He would train her in both, making her as powerful as he was.

And then they would overthrow the Emperor.

* * *

Leia awoke in a bed this time. She remembered Lord Vader picking her up, but she didn't remember anything much after that. Leia didn't really know why her father was so afraid of him. Of course, he had taken her away from her mother and father, but he had been nice to her. Leia decided he wasn't all that bad. She felt someone watching her, and she looked around. Lord Vader was sitting in one of the chairs, and Mara was asleep in a second.

Leia thought he was probably waiting for her to wake up. She got out of the bed and walked over to sit in one of the other chairs. After a moment she got up enough courage to ask, "When will I see my momma again?" Lord Vader said, "There's no need to." Leia was confused. Why would she not need to see her parents again? "Why?" she asked, nervous as to the answer. He said, "Because I am your real father."

Leia couldn't say anything at first. Her mother and father had told her she was adopted, but that they felt like she was their real daughter. They told her that her father would never come for her, that he didn't know she existed. But she realized that Lord Vader must have been telling the truth, because she knew she had to have known him somewhere.

Leia also thought that perhaps her mother and father cared too much about the Rebellion to come and rescue her. On the other hand, Lord Vader had not been mean to her since she had gotten on the ship. She decided that Lord Vader really was her father, because, deep in her heart, she had this _feeling _that he was telling the truth.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. Please don't sue. **

Vader looked out the shuttle viewport at the city-planet. The Sith heard a quiet gasp and turned to see Mara and Leia staring at Imperial Center with awe. "Is it really a big city?" Leia said. "It looks so shiny," Mara added. Vader smiled. "Over time, it grew to cover the whole planet. And it was originally named Coruscant because it glittered like Corusca gems. Now it is the capital of the Empire and home of the Imperial Senate."

The shuttle merged with the rest of the airborne traffic, but Vader could tell the other transports kept their distance from the obviously Imperial vehicle. The shuttle turned towards the Imperial Palace and to Vader's private hangar.

Once the shuttle had landed, Leia and Mara ran down the ramp. Vader stopped them, however, and warned, "Stay close to me." The girls nodded and followed him through a door and into a turbolift, which ascended rapidly.

Leia was awestruck by the city; if she had been able to, she would have been exclaiming over everything she saw. She was quite positive that the Imperial Palace was the largest building she had ever seen, and she was worried she would get lost. Although she knew Lord Vader was now her father, she was still a little afraid of him, and didn't want to upset him by talking too much. So she stayed quiet and absorbed all of the new sights.

The turbolift stopped, and her father led them out into a hallway with deep red carpeting. About halfway down, he stopped and opened a door. Inside was a room that was more beautiful than even her room at home. It was painted a color that was almost white, and it had a window that stretched halfway across the room. The window looked out on the upper levels of Coruscant. There were toys in a chest by the bed, and there was a screen on the opposite wall.

She didn't know what it was for, though, so she pointed to it and asked, "What's that for, Daddy?" Her father smiled and said, "That's the HoloNet. You can talk to anyone on it, and you can watch programs as well."

"Wait, so I could call home if I wanted?" Mara asked. Lord Vader said, "This _is_ your home." Leia saw a problem though. "Wait, Daddy! Where's Mara gonna stay?" Her father opened a door behind a bookshelf into another room. This room was almost the same as hers, but it was painted a deep amethyst. Mara gasped and said, "Really? Is this really gonna be all mine?"

Lord Vader said, "Yes. After all, you and Leia are like sisters, are you not?" Leia nodded and began bouncing on the bed. "Thank you!" she cried and hugged her father. Her father hugged her tightly back and whispered, "I'm glad I've found you."

He abruptly turned and left. Whatever tension there had been in the room dissolved as the two six-year-olds ran around, exploring every inch of their new homes. They found that behind one door was a closet in each of their rooms, filled with beautiful dresses any girl would ever want. There was also a secret balcony Mara discovered, which overlooked a beautiful artificial garden. _I think I'm gonna like it here, _Leia thought happily.

* * *

Vader strode down the hall to his own rooms, but he was stopped by a stormtrooper, who faltered when Vader glared at him. "Ah," the stormtrooper gulped, "The Emperor wishes to see you, my lord." Vader was in no mood to see his master at the time, however he knew he had no choice. He nodded at the stormtrooper and left to see the Emperor.

When he entered the throne room, the Emperor was gazing out at the cityscape of Coruscant. Vader knelt and waited for his master to speak. After two minutes, the Emperor turned in his chair and faced the apprentice. "I sense you have found something, Lord Vader," he said a gravelly voice. "Yes, my master," Vader said, "I have found my daughter. She was with the Organas on Alderaan." "Ah," said the Emperor. "You must bring her to me. We must begin her training at once."

Vader hissed internally. He did not want his daughter to have anything to do with his master. He knew that he would have to bring Leia to Sidious eventually, but he had hoped he could train his daughter to block her thoughts as he could. Now it seemed Palpatine would corrupt his daughter, and possibly even turn her against him. Unless…

Unless Vader killed his master right now.

His lightsaber was suddenly in his grip, and the blade hummed to life.

It was laughably easy, he thought as he blocked various parries from the Emperor, all the while pushing him back against the glass. "You cannot win," hissed Sidious. "I already have, my _master_," Vader sneered, and slashed through the glass with his lightsaber. Palpatine's eyes widened in shock as Vader used the Force to push him through the gaping hole, falling nearly a kilometer to his death.

Vader had fulfilled his destiny as a Sith by killing his master.

No doubt having heard the duel in the chambers, six red-robed members of the Emperor's Royal Guard rushed in the door, force pikes at the ready. Vader flattened two of them with the Force, choking them both simultaneously. The other four attempted to surround him, but his lightsaber had decapitated two of them before they could raise their weapons.

The other two engaged him for a absurdly short time before he defeated them. Once they had fallen, he strode out of the room and down the hall, signaling a stormtrooper as he passed. "Yes, my lord?" the trooper asked. "Emperor Palpatine is dead. The Rebellion assassinated him," Vader said, "I am Emperor now. Alert the HoloNet." The trooper bowed and hurried off to obey commands.

* * *

"Unfortunately, when I arrived, the Rebellion had already killed the Emperor," Vader said. "Those responsible for the attack will be hunted down and stopped. I am sure you all are affected by this loss; however I will continue to ensure peace in the galaxy."

The reporters at the press conference cheered and swarmed the Dark Lord with questions, but he ignored each one, returning to Leia's room. The little girl was asleep on her be, clutching a stuffed Wookiee between her arms. Vader vowed he would teach her the ways of the Force, both the dark and the light sides.


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter is short again, sorry. But this is kind of a "As time passes" interlude, more than anything else. **

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, nothing belongs to me. Sorry. **

Emperor Vader had loosened his grip on the galaxy, allowing citizens more freedoms. However, he had also increased searches and trials for people associated with the Rebel Alliance. Even suspected sympathizers were arrested and questioned.

In the meantime, Leia was trained in the arts of the lightsaber and became very skilled at the use of weaponry. Her best friend, and the Emperor's ward, was an extremely skilled starfighter pilot as well as being trained in the Force.

They had been off-planet many times, and had assisted the Emperor in tracking down many Rebel leaders. Although they were only nearly fifteen, they were respected as generals in the Imperial forces, and had commanded many successful attacks.

* * *

In the meantime, Rebel leaders bade their time, waiting for the right time to attack the Empire.

"We must do something, something big," said Senator Organa to Mon Mothma. "I keep thinking of how much the Empire has changed, both for the better and worse," he continued. His old friend nodded and said, "But what can we do? The Emperor knows we are part of the Alliance."

Organa sighed. "There must be some way we can get the Emperor to listen to our demands," Mothma mused. "What about through Leia?" Organa suggested. "That way, I can see her again – I'm sure she'd be happy to see me. I doubt she is happy with Vader."

Mon Mothma nodded. "And we may be able to get her to join us. I hear she has Force abilities?" Bail nodded. "It's settled then. I think it's risky and extremely dangerous, but it has to be done," he said. He spoke into his comlink. "Captain Solo?" _Solo in,_ the smuggler said_._ "We have an assignment for you," he said.

_All right. Where? _"How would you feel about going to Coruscant – I mean Imperial Center?" Mon Mothma asked. `


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: None of this (Star Wars) is mine, except for the plot. **

_Eight years later_

Leia swung her lightsaber with ease, but it was quickly blocked by another blade. She pulled back only to have to block her chest from being sliced open by her father's spinning blade. She stepped backward, and he stepped forward, engaging her once more.

She ducked his next swing and swung her lightsaber over her head. Her father only just brought his blade up in time, easily pushing back on Leia's blade. They were now face to face, and Vader twisted his lightsaber back around Leia's blade. The hilt of her lightsaber grew unbearably hot, and she dropped the blade. Leia tucked into a roll, calling her lightsaber to her. She was unable to activate the blade in time to prevent the hilt of her father's blade from smashing into her shoulder. Something cracked, and she doubled over in pain. Her father deactivated his blade and asked, "Are you all right?" She nodded and stood up straight, rotating her shoulder in its socket before recovering her weapon from the ground – she had dropped it due to the pain – and activating it.

Before her father could do the same, an aide came in and said, "Emperor Vader, the representatives from Thyferra wish to discuss the Rebellion with you. It seems they are having problems with the blockade." Her father replaced his lightsaber on his belt and strode out of the training area.

As Leia walked back to her room, she knew had done well that day. She could never beat her father. He was too good and had superior years of practice. She had come close before, though. She got to her room and immediately took a sonic shower, because she didn't feel like getting her hair wet. As she took it, she had time to think.

It was her fifteenth birthday the next day, and Leia still had no idea what her father was getting her. This made her slightly anxious, as she normally could discern the truth easily. Leia decided that if anyone knew what she was getting, it would be Mara. So once she got out of the shower and put on a black jumpsuit, she went through the secret door into her best friend's room. "Hey, Leia!" Mara said, looking up from the holopad she was reading. "What's up?"

Leia smiled. "Come on, I know you know what I'm getting tomorrow. _Please_ tell me?" she begged. Mara grinned. "You're right, I do know. But your father was really strict about me not telling you. And I still don't completely trust him not to kill me," Mara said. "One thing I know though, you'll love it."

Leia was smiling, but not satisfied, as she walked back into her room. She was completely surprised, however, when she saw a squad of stormtroopers waiting for her. "What are you doing?" she asked, preparing to fight if necessary. The captain stepped forward and said, "We're to bring you to the Emperor, milady," Another trooper stepped forward and tied a blindfold over her eyes. Leia tried to fight back and reached for her lightsaber, but a trooper took it from her. "Where are you taking me?" she said. One of the troopers said, "You'll find out soon enough."

From behind her, Leia sensed Mara come up, and heard her giggle. If Mara was in on this plot, surely it was not sinister in nature. "Do _you_ know where they're taking me?" she asked. Mara giggled again, and Leia could almost see her smirk.

"Yup," she said. "Would you kriffing shut up," Leia muttered. Leia heard a door slide open, and one of the troopers pushed her to the right. She stumbled slightly, but Mara yanked off the blindfold. Standing in front of Leia was her father, his arms crossed over his chest. Leia asked, "Father, what is this all about?" Her father said, "Turn around."

Leia did as she was told and saw a magnificent yellow airspeeder. It had no roof and two huge engines. She gasped. "Thank you!" and ran toward her father to hug him. He said, "It's a SoroSuub Twin-228, customized."

Leia, who was in awe said, "Can I take it out tonight?" Her father nodded once, and Leia immediately jumped into the driver's seat. "Come on, Mara!" she said. "Let's go!" Mara climbed into the passenger's seat and muttered, "Are you sure you know how to drive this?" Leia glared playfully at her. "Very funny," she said, before starting the engines and driving out of the hangar.

Driving the Twin-228 was a breeze for Leia. She just needed to put in the right amount of force and it would go the way she wanted it to. It was fast, too. They were ten kilometers away from the Imperial Palace in less than half a standard minute.

Leia wasn't paying attention to any of the readouts on the screen, but she looked down when Mara gasped. "Look!" she said, and Leia followed her finger. "The starboard engine is completely out." Leia grimaced. "I guess we'll have to land this thing and find some other way home," she grumbled. But then she found she could not control the airspeeder at all. It was simply accelerating downward at a steep slope.

"Pull up, you idiot!" Mara screamed. "I can't! There's nothing I can do," she said, terrified. They were only twenty feet above the planet's surface, miraculously avoiding the buildings of the lower levels. Leia pulled on the brakes, and the speeder, while still aiming for the underlevels, slowed down to a pace that was non-lethal. They crashed into the side of a building, scraping against the durasteel sidewalk that covered the planet's surface.

Through the daze of people screaming and shouting, one man extracted himself from the crowd. He fired a small dart from a handgun; it seemed to be pointing at Leia.

That was the last thing Leia saw before her world went black.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. Please don't sue. **

Leia awoke in a cell.

Her lightsaber had been taken away, of course, but they – whoever _they _were – had missed the concealed blaster hidden at the small of her back. She had been aboard enough Imperial starships to know she wasn't on board one of those. So she must be on a Rebel ship, somewhere in space. Her fists clenched in anger. How dare they come to the capital of the Empire and kidnap her, the Imperial Princess!

Leia was instantly transported back to when she was six, and her father had taken her from Alderaan. Bail had promised that he would come for her. But no rescue attempt had ever come. She felt a pang of fear. Would her father come for her? But then she squashed that fear. She was Emperor Vader's daughter. Of course he would send out search parties for her.

She was also worried about Mara. The Rebels might not have seen her as good enough to be a hostage, and so had killed her. If so, they would pay dearly for that mistake.

The door slid open, and two young men, about her own age, stepped into the cell. They both held blasters that looked out of place in their hands. Leia couldn't stop thinking about how young they were. _At least the Empire doesn't recruit _boys_, _she thought. _Recruits for the Empire must be 18. _

One of the boys stepped forward. He had sandy hair and blue eyes, and Leia somehow felt a connection with him. It scared her slightly, as the last time she had felt such a connection, Lord Vader had turned out to be her father. "You'll have to come with us," he said, almost regretfully, and grabbed Leia's arm. Leia knew she could fight him off, but she wanted to know who her kidnappers were. She let him put binders on her wrists and allowed him to push her out of the cell, prodding her with his blaster.

Out in the corridor, she saw Mara in a similar situation. Leia rolled her eyes at Mara. "Some mess we've gotten ourselves into, huh?" Mara said. Leia snorted. "These Rebels are such nerf herders." "Hey!" said one of the boys escorting Leia, and shoved her harder with his blaster.

They arrived in a room filled with four people. One of them Leia recognized as her once-adoptive father, Bail Organa. Another she recognized from the HoloNet – a rebellion leader, Mon Mothma. Her father never spoke about the Old Republic, but Leia knew Mothma was once a Senator. The other two people she did not recognize. One was a human, the other a Mon Calamari.

"Princess," said Mon Mothma as Bail said, "Leia!" and started to get up, seeming to want to embrace her. He evidently thought better of it, though, and sat back down. "What do you want?" Mara hissed. Mothma smiled tightly. "We wish to negotiate a truce. You are two very powerful, and we wish to come to an understanding," she said. Leia said, "Very well. Would you release us first, please?"

The Mon Calamari shook his head. "I am sorry, but we cannot. Until we know you are loyal to the Alliance, that is…." Leia and Mara both said, "Never." And Leia continued, speaking to Bail, "Is that why you kept from me who my father was? So you could use me as a weapon against Vader?" Bail opened his mouth, but Leia continued. "That might have worked, but now I know who my _real _father is." Bail opened his mouth once more, and Leia stopped talking.

"I was not the one who kept you hostage," he whispered. Leia shook her head, angrily shaking away the tears. "You didn't even try rescue me, either," she said. "And how could you be sure Vader knew my identity? You resumed your contact with the Rebellion a month after I left. And just so you know, I haven't been a hostage. My father has allowed me to go wherever I wish."

Mothma turned to look at Mara. "What about you, dear?" she asked, "There is nothing tying you to the Empire. Would you join us?" Mara tilted her chin up. "I will remain loyal to the Empire," she said. Bail looked confused. "Why? Unlike _Leia_, you have no family in the Empire." Mara looked uncomfortable, so Leia butted in, "Mara, you have me. I consider you a sister! My father considers you almost another daughter! Don't join these Rebel scum!" Mara nodded and stood tall.

Bail sighed, and said, "I can only hope you will change your minds after you have been in a cell for some time." Leia wondered if he actually thought they would join the Rebellion after being left in a cell. If he did, he was very wrong, she thought as she and Mara were led out of the room and back toward their prison.

Leia knew that once she got back in the cell, she would have little chance of escape. Mara caught Leia's eye and nodded. Leia, knowing what Mara was thinking, smiled in return. _One, two, three,_ she thought, then said, "Now!" Mara spun around and kicked her captor in the shins, then flipped the other one over her head, not an easy feat when wearing binders. But then again, Mara _could _use the Force, unlike these soldiers.

Leia Force-pushed the dark-haired boy, then put the sandy-haired boy into a headlock. He grunted and tried to kick her, but she ignored him. Still wearing binders, Mara retrieved one of the soldiers' blasters and leveled it at Leia's captive. "Unlock our binders," she said, her eyes blazing almost as much as her hair. The boy looked unsure, and shook his head. Leia, who was still holding him, let go and reached out with the Force.

She imagined a vice closing around his neck, and sure enough, the boy began to choke, reaching up to grasp a hand that wasn't there. "I – " he choked, trying to make out a word. "Fine," he finally gasped.

Leia let go of him. He crumpled to the floor, panting. Leia aimed a vicious kick at his stomach, and he sat up in pain. Mara crouched down next to him, holding her binders out to him. "The code," she said. He lifted an arm and typed in four digits: 1138. The binders popped open, freeing Mara's hands.

She turned to Leia, who held out her own binders. Mara typed in the code and Leia's opened as well. Leia instantly grabbed her hidden blaster and held it at the Rebel's head. "Where is the hangar?" Leia asked. He pointed to the right, and Leia reached out with the Force. She heard a fighter rumble, and knew he was telling the truth.

"Where are our weapons?" Mara asked. The boy heaved himself up and went to the comm. station. He reached into a compartment and brought out Leia and Mara's lightsabers, holding them out. Leia saw his eyes dart to the console, and before she could stop him he had pressed the button. "They're escaping!" he shouted. "On the detention level!" Leia hit him hard in the head with the butt of her blaster. He swayed before dropping.

She didn't know if he was dead, but she didn't have time to check. She ran down the hall in the direction he had pointed, following Mara, whose purple blade was held aloft. Leia activated her own lightsaber as well, preparing to meet any Rebel she saw.

Two Rebels were running down the hall, no doubt having heard the transmission. Leia ducked into an alcove by a turbolift, and Mara squeezed in beside her. They both stood there, breathing heavily but silently, until the sound of the soldiers' footsteps receded. Then they continued running down the hall to the hangar.

The hangar door was locked, but Leia quickly cut a hole through it. Inside, there were X-wing fighters, being cleaned by technicians. "There's no way around it," Mara whispered to her. "We'll have to run to get to a ship." Leia nodded and began running silently to the nearest fighter, Mara heading for a different ship. She had gotten halfway there before a klaxon began blaring. "Blast it," muttered Leia. They must have found the soldiers in the detention block.

She kept up her pace, though, and reached the fighter. The technician turned around and said, "Hey! You're that girl they're looking for!" He made to grab his blaster, but Leia cut him down before he could get to it. There was no ladder attached to the ship, so she used the Force to jump into the cockpit. The technical readout of the ship showed it was in pilotable condition, so she fired up the engines. Next to her, she saw Mara deflect blaster bolts from two technicians; Leia grabbed a blaster from the cockpit and shot down the two men that were running to help their comrades.

As Mara got into the ship, Leia turned her fighter to target the hangar doors. She fired two shots: they both hit the center of the console perfectly, causing the doors to slide open. Mara steered her fighter out of the hangar and into space, as Leia followed behind her.

As they flew out, Leia got a glimpse of a planet below them before red lasers burst through the sky from the gunports on the ship. _They're firing at us!_ said Mara over the communications. _On my count, roll… Now!_ Leia pitched her ship into a steep spiral, curving this way and that, hoping she was too fast for the lasers. Out of her side viewport, Leia saw Mara fly over the top of the starcruiser and strafe it with gunfire.

Leia's fighter shook suddenly, and she checked the monitors to see what was wrong. Her secondary port engine was out, as was the navicomputer. _Guess I'll have to do this the old-fashioned way_, she thought, and used the Force to weave in and out of the laserfire. "Mara!" she said into the comm. system. "My ship's damaged. I can't last much longer!" _Head for the planet, _Mara said.

Leia angled her fighter to enter the atmosphere of the planet, and was soon joined by Mara's ship doing the same. The laser fire was getting less frequent: they were getting out of range. _That planet, _Mara said_, I think it's Alderaan. _Leia hissed silently at the mention of the planet. "We'll have to lay low, in case the Rebellion is looking for us," Leia said, trying to control her ship. "Maybe we can get somewhere we can get reception to Imperial Center."

They were nearing the planet's surface, and Mara led Leia into a canyon. _We'll be less noticed here,_ she said. Leia nodded in agreement and prepared to follow when she lost complete control of her fighter. "Mara!" she shouted over the comm. system. _What is it?_ her friend asked.

"I have no control. None. It must have been that laser that hit me." Leia was getting panicked. The only thing she was able to see was a large brown shape moving quickly towards her. "Help me!" she yelled. It was too late. Leia opened the cockpit cover and jumped out right before the fighter crashed into a canyon wall.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any related characters. **

Mara saw her friend jump just before the fighter exploded in a blossom of flame. She quickly piloted her fighter to land in the base of the canyon just feet from where Leia had fallen to the ground.

Leia's body appeared lifeless at the first glance; there was blood on the ground by her left temple. But then Mara saw the hollow rise and fall of her chest. She breathed a sigh of relief, and quickly took out a medpack to clean the deep cut on her friend's head. It was temporary – Leia would need stitches, but it would do for now.

Mara reached into her fighter again and took out a handheld holoprojector. She sent a transmission to Imperial Center, using the Emperor's encrypted code. Lord Vader was sitting at his desk, reading a datapad, but he put it down when he saw her. "Mara! Are you all right?" Mara nodded. "Yes. We were kidnapped by the Rebel Alliance," she said cautiously, not wanting to anger him. His eyes got dark and dangerous, but he motioned for her to continue. "Leia and I escaped, but we're on Alderaan now. I think we're near Crevasse City."

The Emperor nodded. "There is a Star Destroyer orbiting the planet right now. There was a Rebel cruiser, but it jumped to hyperspace as it arrived. I will see to it personally that they go to Crevasse City." Mara breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you," she said. The Emperor nodded and closed the transmission.

Mara had just begun to wonder if they were really in Crevasse City or just an unpopulated canyon, because no one had come out to find the source of the explosion. She didn't want to leave Leia unprotected, but she had to find out where they were. Grabbing hold of Leia, she pushed her further into the side of the canyon, then cautiously walked around the corner further into the canyon. Mara decided this must be Crevasse City. She faintly remembered it from when she had visited once with Bail; there were buildings built into the very face of the cliff.

As she walked further on into the canyon, Mara saw a Togruta watching her intently. The Togruta looked older than her, but not by much – her lekku were still not fully-grown yet. Mara suddenly wished she had a cloak to cover her blazing red hair. If the Rebels were looking for her, her hair was bound to be a homing beacon.

Mara reached behind her with the Force, and felt that her best friend was still unconscious by the ship. The Togruta was now talking into a wrist comlink, nodding every once in a while. She then looked directly at Mara and walked toward her.

Mara looked cautiously at the Togruta. She appeared younger than her father, perhaps twenty-five standard years old. As she walked toward the girls, she held out her hands, as if in a show of peace. Mara suddenly sensed that the Togruta was trained in the Force. She knew she was good with a lightsaber, but she was only fifteen. If this Togruta was a Jedi, who knew what tricks she had up her sleeve. _Calm down. Stormtroopers should be arriving any minute,_ she told herself, and walked to the Togruta, who smiled.

"Hello," the Togruta said in Basic, "Did you know you've got a lot of people searching for you?" Mara instantly tensed and said cautiously, "Yes." The Togruta said, "Well, we shouldn't keep them waiting. Senator Organa is in the palace." Mara instantly activated her lightsaber. "You are with the Rebellion," she hissed. "Yes, I am. Do you have a problem with that?" the Togruta said, activating her own light sword and leveling it in what Mara recognized from her studies as a Shien stance.

Before either of them could begin the fight, however, stormtroopers flooded the canyon, each holding their blasters at the ready. "Freeze!" the captain shouted. Mara instantly dropped her lightsaber and put her hands up, knowing they preferred to shoot first and ask questions later. She pointed to the Togruta and said, "Arrest her. On charges of treason against the Empire." The captain nodded and the troopers surrounded the Jedi. Another trooper walked up to her and said, "Are you all right?" Mara nodded and said, "But I don't know if Leia is." She motioned for two troopers to follow her and led them to where her friend lay next to the fighter. "Her ship crashed, and she jumped," Mara explained. The troopers nodded, and carried Leia onto the waiting shuttle.

* * *

Mara was on the bridge of the Star Destroyer _Conquest_, awaiting Lord Vader's arrival. When he had learned they had arrested a Jedi, he thought it would be better for him to interrogate her on the ship rather than risk having her escape on Imperial Center. He had left Coruscant the next morning.

Mara thought about the Togruta they had in the cell on the detention level. She had not spoken a word since she had been brought on board. She wondered how the Jedi could have escaped Order 66, since Leia had told her all Jedi had been killed after the insurrection.

Mara hoped they would be able to stop the Rebellion. She couldn't believe Bail had betrayed the Empire like that. He had made a promise to her father to keep her safe, and now he had kidnapped her. Mara suddenly remembered that _technically_ she might still be considered Lord Vader's "hostage," as did Leia. And hadn't Lord Vader said that if Bail had anything to do with the Rebellion, Leia and Mara would be killed? Mara's palms grew sweaty now at the thought of facing the Emperor. She wasn't completely sure he wouldn't fulfill the terms on which he had taken her.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of another Star Destroyer from hyperspace. A shuttle flew out of the docking bay of the cruiser and into the _Conquest_'s docking bay. Mara immediately felt the Emperor's presence on board, and stood at the bridge waiting for him to come up. He arrived in less than ten minutes, walking out of the turbolift and uncharacteristically hugging Mara. "I thought those Rebel scum would have killed you and Leia," he said, whispering dangerously. Mara smiled. "Nope, we're here. And Leia's in the medbay. She had a concussion."

Lord Vader looked past her for a moment, and then said, "I can sense that you're worried." "It's nothing, my lord," said Mara, trying to be as respectful as possible. "Just that – well, Leia and I were taken hostage so Senator Organa wouldn't have dealings with the Rebellion, my lord. He's kind of proven he has ties to the Rebellion now, so…" Mara trailed off, knowing the Emperor would know what she meant.

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Yes, you are my hostage, are you not?" Mara's heart sank with dread, and she simply nodded. Vader turned to an officer on the bridge and said, "Open a transmission to Aldera Royal Palace. Senator Organa should be there." He took her arm in an uncompromising grip and propelled her forward. Tears unwillingly flowed down her cheeks, and she tried to lift her arm to brush them away. She found she could not; Vader had her arm too tightly.

He walked a short distance down the corridor, to a room where a squad of stormtroopers was waiting outside. Vader pushed her, hard, into the room, and she stumbled. He spoke to the troopers for a moment, then stepped into the room after her. Mara was on the floor now, sobbing. She looked up for a minute and saw Bail sitting in front of the screen, looking horrified._ Good,_ she thought. _Make him watch. It's his own kriffing fault I'm about to die. _

She was angry at him now, as well as scared_._ "Senator Organa," Vader said calmly. "I seem to recall that when I took Leia and Mara aboard the _Avenger_, I told you that if you ever had dealings with the Rebellion, they would die." Mara sobbed more and said, "Please, Lord Vader! It's not my fault!" She was absolutely terrified. "Of course, by kidnapping them, you have proven you are part of the Alliance," he continued. He reached down and pulled Mara up by the arm, twisting it uncomfortably. "Unfortunately for Mara, this means she will die." Mara's tears stopped, and she began struggling with all her might, even managing to land a glancing kick to Vader's leg before he dropped her once more.

"No!" cried Bail. "You can't do this, they've done nothing!" Vader responded, "It is you who has made that decision." A stormtrooper walked in, hauled Mara to her feet, and roughly shoved her out the door.

Outside, there was a ring of stormtroopers, all pointing their blasters at her. _At least it would be quick_, she thought bitterly, and tried to run. It was unsuccessful, of course, and she braced herself for the barrage of laser bolts.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any related characters. **

The first trooper fired his weapon, and a blue bolt was released from it. In an instant, Mara realized they were stun lasers, not actual lasers, and a wave of hope crashed through her heart. Maybe the Emperor wasn't going to kill her.

Vader heard the sound of blasters being fired, and allowed himself a grim smile. It was a good plan, he thought. Make Organa – and Mara – think that she would be killed, but then only stun her. This allowed for Organa to truly think the girl would be killed, as Mara would truly be reacting as if it were true. Organa was still protesting, and Vader held up a hand, cutting off the senator's air supply for a second, and then releasing it. He wouldn't kill the senator right now. That would be doing him a favor. The senator would wallow in his guilt, thinking he had killed Mara.

Two stormtroopers dragged in Mara's body and tossed it on the floor. "See, Senator Organa?" Vader said with vindictive pleasure. "It's not like last time, where you only thought she was dead." Organa gasped when he saw the girl's lifeless body. Vader took a shockprod from one of the troopers, turned it on, and plunged it into Mara's stomach. He turned it off, however, just before it touched the girl's flesh. The shock would most likely wake her up, if she had been exposed to it. Vader did this twice more, than lifted Mara's body using the Force and dropped it to the floor, hard.

Mara remained unconscious, or to the unknowing observer, dead. Organa looked grieved. "Warn your Rebellion," Vader said. "If you attempt another act against the Empire, the same will happen to Leia." Organa nodded and closed the transmission.

Vader turned and knelt on the ground next to his daughter's best friend. He turned the shockprod to the lowest setting and touched it to Mara's shoulder. The girl's eyes popped open, and she looked up at Vader before scrambling back into a sitting position. "My lord, please don't kill me," she begged. Vader reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. "I was never planning on killing you, young one," he said. "It was all a charade for Senator Organa."

Mara evidently relaxed. "What about Leia?" she said. He sighed. "Do you not trust me to not kill my own daughter?" he asked, knowing he sounded threatening. Mara quickly backtracked. "No, Lord Vader, I didn't mean to say that." Vader felt a smirk grow on his face. "And where is the Jedi?" he asked. "On the detention level, cell AT42," Mara said quickly. "If you'd like, I'll show you – " "No. I will deal with this Jedi myself," the Emperor said, walking out of the room, past the squad of stormtroopers that saluted to attention, and into the turbolift that would take him into the hull of the ship.

* * *

Ahsoka Tano had no clue how she had gotten herself into this mess. One minute, she was living peacefully on Alderaan. At least, as peacefully as a fugitive of the Empire could. The next, she had to open her big mouth and try to apprehend the Imperial Princess. Now she was stuck in a cell, probably facing some horrible interrogation or other.

She sensed footsteps coming down the corridor. Good. At least she wouldn't have to wait. She heard a man's voice outside, and then the door slid open to reveal – Darth Vader. But he looked surprisingly like….

No, no, it couldn't be possible. Her master was dead. She had felt it in the Force. And Obi-Wan had told her. Then how was he here? The HoloNet was deceiving in its pictures of the Emperor, she thought wryly. She was about to say something when a stormtrooper said, "Shall I call for an IT-O, my lord?" Ahsoka held back a gasp. She had heard of the horrors those droids could inflict. "No, we'll be just fine," said her former master. "Yes, Emperor," the trooper said, and he stepped out.

The door slid shut, locking with a hiss. Ahsoka thought fast. Her master seemed to have turned to the dark side, and not only that, but he didn't recognize her. If that were true, then she couldn't reveal her real identity to him.

"Now, Jedi, we will discuss your connections with the Rebellion," he said. He still towered over her, even though it had been fifteen years. He looked intimidating, even more so than before. Ahsoka swallowed quickly and looked up at him. The Emperor asked, "Where is the Rebel base?" Ahsoka stared defiantly back at him and said, "You'll never make me talk." Vader smiled darkly. He took a step toward her and said, "You _will_ tell me your name." Ahsoka felt her mind being nudged with the Force and immediately said, "Atana Ti," in a flat voice, pretending to be affected by the mind trick. "Where did you get this lightsaber?" he asked, igniting it in front of her. "My aunt," Ahsoka said. "Shaak Ti."

Vader smiled grimly, and opened the door once more. Ahsoka was surprised he was leaving, but then realized he wasn't. He was simply making room for a round, black droid that was floating in through the doorway. The IT-O.

Ahsoka shivered and closed her mind, allowing all her memories to disappear deep within herself. The black orb floated closer and closer to her, extending the needle it held in one appendage.

* * *

Right before she crumpled to the ground, Vader put his hand under her chin, holding it – and her – up. Ahsoka couldn't take the pain any more. The walls she had put up around her subconscious collapsed. "What is your name?" Vader demanded. "My name," she gasped, "is Ahsoka Tano."

Vader let go of her chin in shock. She fell to the ground and stayed there, staring at his shiny black boots, which took one step closer to her, than abruptly turned around and left the cell. Ahsoka sighed and let the tears overwhelm her.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any related characters. **

Bail Organa was sitting in the same place he had been in half an hour earlier, when he witnessed the death – no, _murder_ – of his friend's daughter. The one he swore he would protect. Bail didn't know much about Emperor Vader, except that he had once been Anakin Skywalker, but he was positive now that the man was a monster. Another message was coming in from the HoloNet – this one with an encrypted code. Bail knew that code – it was from Ackbar. Bail knew what it would be about. When Ahsoka had not showed up with Leia and Mara – she had not shown up at all – he knew she had been arrested by the Empire. For a moment, Bail didn't know whether to ignore it or to respond, which would put Leia's life in danger. But the Dark Lord wouldn't kill his own daughter, would he? If he was honest with himself, Bail didn't trust the Emperor to do that. But the former Senator knew that even if Leia was killed, they had to liberate the galaxy. He accepted the message.

"Admiral," Bail said. "I have already heard that Ahsoka has been captured by the Empire." "Good," the Mon Calamari said. "Then you know we must rescue her. Se is too valuable an asset to the Rebellion to lose." Bail halfway agreed with the admiral. If they mounted a rescue and it _failed,_ they would lose even more soldiers. But they could not afford to lose Ahsoka. She and Obi-Wan were the only two Jedi they had. "Very well," said Bail. "I agree with you. But who can we send?"

Ackbar said, "Captain Solo has already volunteered. We've assembled a small force of men to rescue Ahsoka." Bail nodded, and before Admiral Ackbar could end the transmission, he said, "I'm afraid I can't openly participate in the rebellion any more." Ackbar looked puzzled, so he continued, "Vader killed Mara today because I proved I was connected to the rebellion. I can still assist you in non-obtrusive ways, of course."

Ackbar looked pained. "I'm sorry, Bail, but the rebellion still needs your help. Once Solo has rescued Ahsoka, we need to use Alderaan as a rendezvous point. We won't land, but we will orbit the planet." Bail nodded; he couldn't refuse help to the Rebellion. "Good luck," he said, and ended the transmission.

Ackbar turned to the man standing in the doorway. "Captain Solo, you are clear for your mission." The man said, "Yeah, but how do we know where these Imperials are?" Ackbar passed Han a datapad with coordinates on it. "I have reliable information that this is where the Starfleet is located. Good luck, Solo, and may the Force be with you."

Luke Skywalker walked into the cockpit as Chewie fired up the main engines. The Wookiee roared a hello, which the boy returned. He still couldn't believe he was here, at the heart of the Rebellion._ And _he was helping to rescue a Jedi! _Stars, _Luke thought._ I never thought I'd get here, even when I turned 20. I guess Uncle Owen really does listen to Aunt Beru. _His uncle had thought him insane, but eventually had given in. Luke had left for the Academy that season. At first, he had only wanted to learn to be a pilot, but then old Ben Kenobi had told him about the Force. So, in addition to his regular pilot training, Luke also learned how to use a lightsaber. He wasn't the best, though, and he preferred to have a blaster with him.

Han Solo came on board and said, "You ready for this, kid?" Luke grinned. He was ready for anything those imperials could throw at him. The _Falcon_ flew out of the hangar and into space. "So where are we headed?" he asked as they made the jump to lightspeed. "I'm not quite sure. They just gave me some coordinates to put into the navicomputer. I'm guessing this Ahsoka is on a Stardestroyer," Han replied. There was nothing much to do as the ship went through hyperspace, so Luke's thoughts turned to the girl he had escorted to the leaders. The only thing he knew about her was that she was somewhat important to the Empire. "Hey, Han," he started, "You know those girls you kidnapped? Who were they?" The captain shrugged. "I'm not quite sure. I get my orders and follow 'em. I do know they're pretty high up in the Empire, though, or Senator Organa wouldn't have been there. He seemed to know them, too." Luke nodded. He felt like he knew the brown-haired girl from somewhere, but he didn't know where.

* * *

Approximately sixteen standard hours later, the _Millennium Falcon_ pulled out of hyperspace. There in the distance, was a Super Star Destroyer, as well as a Star Destroyer. "So what's the plan?" Luke asked Han. "Well, I was thinking we'd _let_ them capture us, you know, pull us in with the tractor beam, and then go and rescue this Jedi." "But won't they take us prisoner?" Luke asked, confused. "No. You see, kid, I've got these smuggling compartments from back when I was workin' for Jabba. They'll do nicely for hiding us. We're getting close. The tractor beam should be taking effect any minute." Han shut off the primary engines as Chewbacca led Luke into the main cabin, pulling up one of the floor panels. There was a sizeable compartment underneath, and Luke slipped inside. He could feel the ship being pulled into the Star Destroyer, and he desperately hoped Han knew what he was doing; otherwise, this mission was going to be the shortest in the history of rescue missions.

Luke felt the _Falcon_ touch down inside the holding bay. _"All troopers, man your stations. All troopers, man your stations._ He heard metallic footsteps walk inside the ship and overhead. They didn't seem to be able to tell that anything was different from the other floors. Once the footsteps had receded, Luke pushed up the compartment cover to see Han doing the same across from him. "See?" the ex-smuggler said. "I told you it would work. Luke heard more footsteps coming up the ramp; a girl's voice said, "Get a scanner on board. Something doesn't feel right." A trooper said, "Yes, milady." Han leaned over and whispered, "That must be the girl I kidnapped. She seems pretty high up, if she can order around those bucket-heads."

Luke was more worried about the scanner, but he couldn't worry for long, as two stormtroopers came aboard. There was no time to lower the hatches: the troopers saw Luke and Chewie. Han had fortunately lowered the cover in time. "Hey!" one of them said. Luke found himself pulled up forcefully by one of the stormtroopers and cuffs were put on his wrists. He was prodded in the back by a blaster, and quickly walked forward to avoid being shot. Chewie was roaring angrily, waving his arms around. The stormtrooper quickly placed cuffs on the Wookiee's wrists before hitting him with the butt of his rifle.

Luke was trying to think of ways to escape, but if he was honest with himself, he kept coming up with dead ends. The stormtrooper pushed him down the ramp; Luke stumbled and saw the same girl that had attacked him. She looked frantic for a moment and pushed someone else out of the way, before walking up to him. "So, Rebel." He thought she would be less hard on him than the troopers – she was, after all, only a girl, and only his age.

But this girl did seem to be in charge – the stormtroopers seemed to defer to her. the girl said, "Here on a rescue mission for your Jedi? I must say, I was expecting more." She laughed and said, "Take him to the detention block. I will tell my father." She walked out of the hangar. A black-cloaked figure followed her. Luke couldn't tell who he – or she – was, because of the hood covering their face. He tried to turn to look at the girl, but he was pushed to hurry.

He was shoved into a cell, and sat down on the metal shelf that probably was meant to serve as a bed or seat. _ Great, _the boy thought. _There goes our rescue mission. Chewie and I are stuck here, and it'd be a miracle if Han could find us. If he could escape the Falcon without getting caught, that is. _

The door opened once more, and the girl that had been in the hangar walked in, flanked by two stormtroopers. She stood tall, crossing her arms over her chest. "So, here we meet again. The tables have certainly turned," she said, a slight smirk on her lips. Luke scowled. "What are _you_ doing on a Stardestroyer?" he retorted, trying to irritate her. "Out on a little field trip?" The girl stepped closer, and he stood up – only to be pushed down by one of the troopers. "You really don't know who I am, Rebel _scum?_ I'm Emperor Vader's daughter, Leia." Oh. That was why the Rebellion had wanted her. She evidently saw his surprise on his face, because she smiled. "That's right. I'm not just some little girl. No, and I've got some questions for you."

Luke gulped. He had heard what Imperial interrogations were like, and none of the stories had been pretty. But he knew that showing fear would just encourage the Imperials, so he put on a stony face and said, "Fine. Fire away." Leia moved to stand next to him. "Where were you headed?" Luke didn't say anything. "Did you know that we have a very valuable prisoner aboard this vessel?" she asked. "No clue," he said, attempting nonchalance. "Tell me, _farmboy, _were you the pilot of that ship you were on?" He wouldn't betray Han – give him more time to rescue Master Ahsoka. "Yes." An invisible hand closed around his neck. "It's – true!" he said. "You know, it's not that hard to make it stop," the girl said casually. "You just need to tell me where you were headed or who was piloting that ship of yours." The grip tightened. "Fine," he said. "I wasn't the pilot!" he gasped through what little breath he had left.

The girl stood up triumphantly, and spoke into a wrist comlink. "Captain. Did the scanners pick up any more life forms?" She listened for a moment – Luke didn't hear anything, so he assumed she was wearing an earpiece. Her face filled with anger. "Increase the security around cell AT42." Luke smiled triumphantly despite the pain. Cell AT42. That must be where the Jedi was. She stepped closer to him and said, "I'll deal with you later." Spinning on her heel, she strode quickly out of the cell, behind the two stormtroopers that held the door open and stood at attention as she passed.

Luke dragged himself back onto the bench, breathing heavily. In a way, he was awestruck at the way that girl handled herself. She was more confident than he would probably ever be. _Stop that,_ he told himself. _She's an Imp. She's what you're trying to bring down. _Not only that, but she was on the Dark Side of the Force. He felt her anger – which was strangely and frighteningly clinical – the second she stepped into the cell. And then there was that strange feeling. Like he had seen her before, like he _had_ to know her. But Luke knew that was impossible. He had never gone far from home on Tatooine, staying close to the farm, and hanging out with his friends. But then how was it possible that he had a sense of recognition when he saw her?

Luke heard a blaster being fired out in the corridor, then another shot. He stood up and pressed his ear to the door, trying to make out what was going on. No luck. The blasted door was soundproof. A few more shots, and there was silence. Then suddenly the door slid open, causing Luke to jump back in shock. The captain was standing there, a roguish grin on his face. Chewie was standing next to him, grinning. "Come on, kid. Let's find this Jedi and get outta here." Han started going back to the console, but Luke held out a hand. "She's in cell AT42. I heard that girl say it. Han, did you know she's the Emperor's daughter?" The ex-smuggler froze in shock. Then suddenly he was running to the console, a steady stream of curses flowing out of his mouth. He pulled up a map of the ship, and pointed to a location hovering in the 3-D map. "Cell AT42. It's right below us." "Well, what are we waiting for?" Luke asked. "Come on!"

Luke cautiously stepped over the stormtroopers' bodies in the room and into the turbolift. It was eerily quiet inside, and Luke worried that perhaps they were going straight into a trap. But when the doors opened, there was no squadron of stormtroopers waiting for them. The only people at the command console were the two officers, who instantly grabbed their blasters and headed toward the trio. Luke raised his blaster and fired at the first one. He dropped to the floor, while the other officer got about three shots out before falling victim to one of Han's shots. Luke stepped cautiously out of the lift and began walking down the cell block. About halfway down was cell AT42. Surrounding it was about thirty stormtroopers, all holding blasters at the ready. One of them managed to say, "Stop. You're under arre-" before Luke shot his blaster. Chewie was suddenly next to him, firing away and taking down about half of the soldiers. Luke tried the door. It was locked. He reached for his lightsaber before he remembered that those bucketheads had taken it when he had been arrested. Blast it. It would have been the easiest way to cut through the door.

"Han!" he yelled. "The door's locked. Can you hotwire it?" The pilot ran up to where Luke and Chewie were and ripped open the console. Luke watched in amazement as Han reconnected two wires, and the door slid open.


End file.
